Which States Are Most Likely to Legalize Cannabis in 2016?

It’s a new year and there’s a lot to look forward to in 2016, regarding general life and cannabis culture. With the presidential election looming, there is guaranteed to be a massive voter turnout and the initiatives that are poised for inclusion on the 2016 ballot stand a chance to make some big changes. But which states are most likely to legalize next? Here are our predictions for 2016.

Almost a Sure Thing

NEVADA

If you’re searching for a sure bet, look no further than Nevada. It may have taken this state a while to legalize medical marijuana, but now that it’s on that path to legalization, it’s not stopping ‘til the end. Nevada’s was the first state campaign to officially gather the required number of signatures to qualify for the 2016 ballot, submitting 170,000 signatures last December. That’s about 60,000 more signatures than the 101,667 signatures needed, and nearly two years early. Nevada’s already opened a successful medical marijuana program that allows reciprocity without any issues. With any luck, it’s locked in on recreational and won’t stop until next November.

CALIFORNIA

One would think that California has a better chance than Nevada at legalization, considering that the state was one of the first to legalize medical marijuana back in 1996. The problem with California was the complete and total lack of statewide regulations to help keep its medical marijuana system in check. Without regulations, Cali’s cannabis scene exploded like the Wild West, causing friction within the city and county jurisdictions that tried to reign it in.

Maine has one of the best, most stable medical marijuana programs in the country. It offers a limited number of medical marijuana dispensaries (that cater to out-of-state patients, too!), but Maine’s caregiver program is so robust that dispensaries are less of a necessity and more of an obligation to meet patients’ needs.

Will Maine voters be able to harness some of the support and take it all the way to the end of the line?

ARIZONA

Arizona may seem like a logical next state in line to legalize, but it’s got a long road ahead in the fight for legalization. When Arizona voted to legalize medical marijuana in 2010, the initiative won by a measly 4,000 votes, which does not bode well for the state’s recreational legalization initiative, the Campaign to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol in Arizona. Furthermore, the campaign has already faced some controversy over advertising efforts.

Fingers Crossed (But Don’t Get Your Hopes Up)

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut took the plunge for medical marijuana in 2012, and a year after its first dispensaries opened, its program was running smoothly with a patient base of 6,700 registrants and six state-licensed dispensaries. Not only that, but a poll from the University of New Haven found residents overwhelming support cannabis, with 56 percent polled saying they agreed that legalizing marijuana would have a positive impact on Connecticut’s economy. There were two legalization initiatives considered during the 2015 legislative session that stalled eventually, and Connecticut cops are already preparing for legalization as an inevitability, so the real question is will 2016 be the year it happens?

MICHIGAN

Michigan legalized medical marijuana in 2008, but its relationship with cannabis is strained at best. State legislators go back and forth nearly every session restricting and loosening cannabis laws, even going so far as to outlaw medical dispensaries, essentially forcing business owners to continue operating at risk of prosecution. Additionally, patients in Michigan have dubious legal protection, facing criminal charges for edibles or hash oils due to an oversight in the language of the law.

We all watched Ohio’s swing-and-a-miss this year in its attempt to legalize marijuana for medical and recreational purposes in one fell swoop. The initiative was truly divisive for the cannabis community in Ohio; on the one hand, supporters argued that they were happy to see cannabis in the spotlight and that any forward momentum is good, even if the initiative leaves something to be desired. However, on the other hand, even advocates felt uncomfortable with the proposal overall due to language that would have placed financial control in the hands of just 10 powerful investors, rather than a government agency or medical organization.

Vermont represents another small, unassuming state that is not to be underestimated. Although its medical marijuana program is smaller, the curiosity for legalization runs through the entire community, all the way up to the governor’s office. Governor Peter Schumlin admitted that he’s been watching Colorado very closely, even going so far as to organize meetings on the logistics of legalizing cannabis for recreational purposes from a regulatory perspective.

Probably Not (But Nice Effort!)

DELAWARE

Delaware is certainly a curious case for cannabis. Although the state is slightly larger than Rhode Island, when drafting its medical marijuana program, the state health department restricted the number of dispensaries and now, four years after medical marijuana became legal, there is only one dispensary operating to serve the entire state. Admittedly, there are only 700 patients registered, with requests for other dispensaries to open in other counties, and the program has had nothing but positive feedback, particularly regarding the lack of tax and low-income discounts available.

Ah, Maryland, home of “The Wire,” delicious blue crabs, and, coming soon to a county near you, medical marijuana dispensaries. Maryland Governor and Democratic candidate Martin O’Malley played the good guy by decriminalizing the possession of small amounts of cannabis, and he’s been an instrumental part of implementing the state’s emerging medical marijuana market, which is slated to be quite extensive. All told, there will be nearly 100 dispensary licenses issued, along with 15 cultivator licenses, upping the ante for Maryland to become a major contender jumping into the MMJ realm.

Oh, Massachusetts, we had such high hopes for you. Along with 13,000 medical marijuana patients, we watched the Massachusetts Department of Health bungle the licensing process, the lawsuits that followed, and the realization that your own criteria for selecting distributors was literally impossible for organizations to meet.

The Empire State has been under the microscope since passing legislation to legalize the production of medical cannabis, and everyone’s been waiting and watching as the program has slowly developed. New York has chosen the five producers to cultivate medical marijuana and sales are scheduled to begin in January, but the success or failings of an emerging medical marijuana market could be a defining predictor as to whether the state will be able to follow through with an additional push for recreational cannabis.

With that being said, Senator Liz Krueger (D-NY), cosponsor and author of the Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act, will continue to push for an end to prohibition in New York. Does it have a chance? Yes, but a slim one.

MISSOURI

Missouri is the last on our list for a reason. While most of these states have a fighting chance due to support, emerging medical marijuana programs, or cannabis-friendly politicians, the sad truth is that Missouri is sorely lacking in all of those things. Okay, that’s not entirely true. Missouri was able to pass a cannabis extract law for epilepsy and seizure patients whose symptoms are resistant to conventional treatment. The Missouri Department of Agriculture even issued licenses for two non-profit organizations, BeLeaf and Noah’s Arc, to produce low-THC cannabis oil. It’s not quite a patient-accessible statewide system of medical dispensaries, but it’s definitely a big step for the Midwestern state.

With that in mind, it’s fairly implausible that Missouri will be able to successfully transition from a severely limited CBD program to full recreational legalization. Maybe someday, but for now, the Show-Me State can show us stronger support than just 36 percent in favor of legalization. Do I sense, perhaps, an expanded medical marijuana program in Missouri’s future?